What to Do When the iSCSI Service Is Not Running

Quick Tips

• The iSCSI service not running is a sign of network problems and permissions rather than hardware.
• Your first stop should be “Services” to check the status and “Startup Type” of the service.
• It’s also a good idea to check the Windows Event Log and change permissions in the Registry if needed.

When it comes to network storage and accessing virtual drives, the Microsoft iSCSI service is one of the most important services out there. If it stops running, Windows cannot sign in to or access iSCSI targets through the initiator.

It goes without saying that’s a problem. In this article, we’re going to show you fixes to try when the iSCSI service is not running.

What Causes This Error?

If your iSCSI service failed to start or won’t run in general, the issue is usually one to do with network permissions and configurations rather than hardware. Some major causes include:

• The service’s startup configuration is preventing it from starting when required
• Your account lacks proper permissions
• Windows system-file or configuration corruption affecting the service
• The Windows Event Log service is broken

The iSCSI Service is not running – Fixes to Try

Now you know some of the major reasons; let’s get into the fixes:

Start and Confirm the iSCSI Status

The first step is to check the status and startup type of the MSiSCSI service and try starting it. Here’s what you need to do:

Step 1. Open the Run dialog (Win + R) and type “services.msc” before hitting “Enter.”

Step 2. Scroll down to “Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service” and check its status and “Startup Type.”

Step 3. To start the service, simply right-click it and choose “Start” from the context menu.

Step 4. Double-click the service and, if you need it to start automatically at boot, change “Startup type” to “Automatic.” Then click “Apply” and “OK.”

Restart the Windows Event Log

If this doesn’t help, it’s time to troubleshoot in the “Event Log” in “Services.” Here’s how:

Step 1. In “Services,” scroll down to “Windows Event Log” and make sure the service is running and its startup configuration has not been disabled or altered.

Step 2. If not, double-click the service and change the “Startup type” in the window that pops up.

Step 3. Click “Apply” and “OK” to finalize.

Change the Registry

Changing registry permissions incorrectly can cause Windows problems. Only modify these permissions if an Event Log or service error indicates that they are contributing to the problem, and back up the registry key first:

Step 1. Open the Run dialog (Win + R), type “regedit,” and hit (Ctrl + Shift + Enter) to run as Admin.

Step 2. In the Registry, enter the following path into the address bar at the top: “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\EventLog\System”.

Step 3. Right-click the “System” key (the folder in the sidebar) and choose “Permissions” from the context menu.

Step 4. Check the permissions for the SYSTEM account. Do not change them unless the relevant error indicates that SYSTEM lacks the permissions required to write to the System event log.

Step 5. Press “OK” to finalize.

Force Start with PowerShell

If you’re tired of asking, you can always get PowerShell to force start things and ensure the iSCSI service is running. Here’s how:

Step 1. Open the Run dialog and type “powershell” before hitting (Ctrl + Shift + Enter) to run as Admin.

Step 2. In PowerShell, type “Start-Service -Name MSiSCSI” and hit “Enter.” See if this starts the service.

Check Your Firewall

If the iSCSI service starts but Windows cannot connect to an iSCSI target, check whether a firewall is blocking the target connection. Open yours and ensure that the “TCP Port 3260” is permitted both for Inbound and Outbound rules.